DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS

LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
drifttrikebuildplans.com

DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS

STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT, OWNERSHIP AND REPRODUCTION
This set of trike plans has been designed, developed and produced by DRIFT TRIKE
BUILD PLANS for the home builder to make their own quality drift trike. This set of
plans has NOT been produced for any individual, individuals or business to make
financial and/or commercial gain in either reproducing the plans, components or
complete vehicles.

All rights reserved, the drawings and designs with in this set of plans as individual
parts, sub-assemblies or complete vehicles are expressly copyrighted to DRIFT
TRIKE BUILD PLANS. No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic mechanical
photocopying, transmitted via the World Wide Web, recording or otherwise, without
the written permission of DRIFT TRIKES BUILD PLANS.

DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS reserve the sole rights to sell and reproduce the said
plans and the sole right to manufacture parts and complete vehicles from these
plans for financial and/or commercial gain.

Legal action will be taken against any individual, individuals, or business making
financial and/or commercial gain from reproducing either these plans, components or
vehicles derived from these plans and designs.

This set of plans gives the owner the right to manufacture their own vehicle for the
purpose of recreational use only, which as a finished product is not permitted to be
used to derive income unless written permission is given from DRIFT TRIKE BUILD
PLANS.

No liability can be accepted to for any inaccuracies or omissions in this publication,

although every possible care has been taken to make it as complete and accurate as
possible.

The right is reserved to make changes at any time without prior notice and without
incurring an obligation to make such changes to products manufactured previously.

All information contained in this publication is based on the latest product information
available at the time of publication. Illustrations and photographs in this publication
are intended for reference use only and may not depict actual model component
parts.

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 AVALANCHE
Avalanche has been designed to be an easy, quick and cheap build for any one that
is intrusted in motorized drift trikes but doesn’t want an expensive off the shelf
option. Avalanche uses a 6.5hp go kart engine. This is a simple straight forward build
that uses common parts that are regularly available. We have designed this trike with
a 40mm go kart rear axle but we have also included measurements and instructions
if you choose to use other popular go kart axle sizes like 1 ¼” and 1” (25mm).

SPECIFCATIONS
Frame: Mild steel RHS

Brakes: Go kart rear disc brake hub and caliper. Must be 190mm in diameter for
ground clearance. Bicycle brakes up front.

Handlebars and stem: Bicycle

Front wheel and forks: standard BMX wheels, forks and bearings. Custom trike wide
wheels with forks to match can also be used.

Rear wheels: Front go kart tyres and rims that use a hub.

Rear axle: Go kart 1”, 1 ¼” or 40mm rear axle.

Sprocket: Go kart sprocket and hub. Must be 65 tooth or less for ground clearance.

Engine: 6.5hp four stroke go kart engine. An engine based off a Honda GX200 is
what will work best. These engines are widely available due to them being copied
from many different Chinese engine manufacturers.

Clutch: Go kart centrifugal clutch to suit engine.

Chain guard: Custom 1.6mm sheet metal guard. We have included fabrication plans
for this.

Bearings: Pillow block bearings. If using 40mm rear axle then two UPC 208 – 40mm
bearings needed. If using 1 ¼” rear axle two UPC 206 – 20 bearings needed. If using
25mm (1”) rear axle then two UPC 205 – 25mm bearing needed.

Seat: Many different seats can be used on drift trikes. We have included a few
mounting plate designs for more popular seats.

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 SAFETY
IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE RIDING

DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS wish to advise in the intrust of your enjoyment, some
safety features which will enable you to enjoy riding your trike and minimise the risks
to yourself and others.

HELMET

Always wear a good crash helmet, a full face helmet offers more protection than an
open face. Remember to buckle up the chin strap.

CLOTHING

Always wear paints, long sleeved shirts and clothed in foot wear.

PROTECTIVE GEAR

It is advisable to wear knee and elbow pads to minimise injury if and accident was to
occur. Gloves are also and essential part of protective gear.

DRINKING, DRUGS AND RIDING

DO NOT consume alcohol and ride any type of trike, bike or vehicle. Drinking and
riding is dangerous to both yourself and others. The nature of drift trike riding is
demanding and unpredictable so you need to be alert and focused on what you are
doing at all times. Drugs and alcohol dull your senses and concentration.

SHARP OBJECTS

Make sure the frame or any parts of the drift trike that you have fabricated is to
design specs and all sharp edges and burrs have been removed.

BRAKES

Good brakes are essential. Braking is relative to speed; the faster you go, the better
your brakes should be. Always maintain your brakes so that they are always in good
working order.

STEERING

Steering is an important safety area, without it you have lost control. Always make
sure that steering components are in good condition and check for loose bolts/parts.

The more responsible you are, the better it will be for all of us and the better an
image for the sport of trike drifting you will create, guaranteeing for all of us
acceptance and respect from the general public.

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 DISCLAIMER
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS, their agents or employees will not be held responsible
for any damage caused by any of their trike designs to person or property.

DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS make every effort to advise their customers of safety
precautions and responsibility and cannot be held responsible for the actions of an
individual or individuals. DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS cannot be held responsible for
an individual’s quality of workmanship or for the suitability of the finished product in
respect to safety or the performance an individual may expect from the said design
in various conditions. Drifting trikes is a dangerous sport because of the varying
conditions that may be encountered and although DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
makes every effort to design a solid and safe drift trike, DRIFT TRIKE BUILD
PLANS have no control over how or where an individual chooses to use their drift
trike.

DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS makes every effort to supply quality components to its
customers but will not be held responsible as to the way an individual assembles, fits
or uses said components or the way or manner an individual uses a drift trike.

4
 GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Bending Tending to curve or bow.

BMS Bright Mild Steel.

CAD Computer Aided Design – objects that have been designed on a

sophisticated computer software drawing package.

CNC Computer Numerical Control – a system used to control automated

machines using computer guidance.

℄ Centreline – symbol shown at the centre of some drawings.

ERW tube Electric Resistance Welded tube. Is usually made of better quality steel
and comes with thinner walls that normal steel pipe.

Fabricating To measure, cut and weld to create a finished product from raw
materials.

Flatbar Steel that is sold as flat lengths.

Gusset A bracket strengthening an angle of a structure.

ID Inside Diameter – inside measurement of round objects.

m Meter – metric measurements

mm Millimetre – metric measurements.

Module A self contained item, normally an assembly or parts to create a

specific item. Normally used in combination with other units.

NB Nominal Bore – Classification given to some sizes of pipe.

Nyloc Brand name for a self-locking nut that uses a nylon insert to lock onto
the bolt thread.

Ø Diameter – measurement for round objects.

OD Outside Diameter – outside measurement of round objects.

PCD Pitch Circle Diameter – diameter of a circle in which holes are evenly
spaced.

RHS Rectangular Hollow Section (steel).

Scollop Notched. Remove material.

Wheelbase The distance between front and rear axle centres.

5
 TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Some basic equipment will be needed to fabricate the drift trike frame. Here is a list
of basic tools and equipment needed.

WELDER

A ‘Mig Welder’ is the most preferred as it can be used by most novice welders with
the minimum of experience. Another type of welder is the ‘Arc Welder’, this can be
used just as readily but needing more skill and practice to produce clean tidy welds.
Other forms of welding suitable for construction are ‘Tig’ and ‘Gas’ welding (brazing).
The form of welding used depends on what your personally have available and what
your skills are best suited to.

CUT OFF SAW

Ether a grinding type ‘Drop Saw’ or a ‘Power Hacksaw’, or ‘Bandsaw’ may be used.
If either of these are not available a ‘Hand Hacksaw or ‘Angle Grinder’ may be used
with a sturdy vice.

DRILL PRESS

A drill press of 5/8” (16mm) capacity is the more suitable but you may use a hand
power drill either in a drill press stand or on its own.

SQUARES

A large fabrication square, a one meter rule and protractor bevel for marking out and
setting up the frame and angles will be required. A tape measure for measuring tube
lengths.

GENERAL HAND TOOLS

Adjustable spanners, pliers, angle grinders (4” or 5”), socket set, hand files, bench
vice and a sturdy bench will all come in handy.

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 TIPS ON CONSTUCTING

BEFORE BUYING PARTS DECIDE ON THE FOLLOWING

There are three popular sized rear go kart axles that you can choose from for this
build (25mm or 1”, 1 ¼” and 40mm). All axles should be 1050mm long. A 25mm / 1”
axle will be lighter and cheaper but a 40mm axle will be stronger. Parts so suit a 1 ¼”
might be more widely available and cheaper in your area. A 25mm / 1” axle will give
you a little more ground clearance than a 1 ¼” and 40mm. So before buying a
certain size axle weigh up the pro’s and con’s of each size. Parts needed to suit your
axle size are: AXLE, Pillow block bearings x 2, disc brake hub, sprocket hub and
wheel hub x 2. Some stores sell all this in a package, this is usually the cheapest
option. Make sure you shop around for best price.

PURCHASE OF PARTS

Purchase of second hand parts will bring the cost of the build down considerably.
The design of this trike incorporates widely available parts that can be easily found
from many suppliers.

WHEELS

Front go kart wheels and tyres are used in this design because they are easily found
and second hand items are usually sold cheap or just thrown in the trash. Wheels
with a hub to suit your axle size choice. Front wheel and forks are standard BMX
wheels, forks and bearings. Custom trike wide wheels with forks to match can also
be used.

GEOMETRY

Take extra time and care to ensure all the steering components are true and square
before fully welding.

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BRAKES

You will need a go kart rear disc brake, disc brake caliper, brake leaver and a disc
hub to suit you axle choice. We recommend using a 190mm diameter disc brake,
any larger than this will give you very little ground clearance. Please install the front
BMX brakes on the front wheel for obvious reasons. Some genuine trike forks have
brackets for disk brakes; this can be a far better braking system but will cost more.

SEAT

A good seat that holds you to the trike is essential. I recommend buying a genuine
replacement drift trike seat from a dedicated drift trike parts supplier. Many other
seats could also be used just ensure you want slip out of it while drifting. The
universal seat mounting plate in this set of plains will allow a lot of different types of
seats to be used.

SPROCKET

A go kart rear sprocket and hub to suit you axle choice will be needed. A 65 tooth
sprocket is the largest sprocket you will be able to use to still have enough ground
clearance. We recommend getting a sprocket to suit a #35 chain.

CLUTCH

Buy a clutch that suits your engine and sprocket choice. We recommend buying a
clutch, sprocket and chain together in a package.

GEARING AND DRIVE RAITO

There is a lot of information on the internet about drift trike gear ratios. There is no 1
size fits all answer when considering gear ratio. If your small and light you might get
away with a taller gear ratio than a larger overweight bloke. We recommend doing a
little research into pro’s and con’s of gearing before buying your rear sprocket and
clutch/sprocket. In saying that something like a 1 to 5 or 1 to 6 ratio is usually a good
fit. So shop for something like a 10 and 60 tooth or a 12 and 60 tooth package.

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ENGINE

A quick eBay search for 6.5hp engine will come up with hundreds of engines. Some
will be better quality than others. Some will have an electric start. Some might have a
2 to 1 drive ratio. Some will come with a package including throttle controls,
exhausts, mounting plates and other extra goodies. We recommend shopping
around and buying a mid price ranged engine off a seller with a good returns policy.
The Honda GX200 OHV four stroke engine that has been copied many times over by
Chinese manufactures is a good robust engine that makes for an excellent go kart
and drift trike engine.

MATERIALS LIST

MATERIAL QTY USED FOR

1.6mm plate 600mm x 700mm Chain guard
3mm plate 600mm x 600mm Guard, engine and brake
caliper mount
40 x 40 x 2 RHS 6 meters Frame
35 x 35 x 2 RHS 2.5 meters Frame
34mm I.D. ERW pipe with 500mm Headset, Footrests
2mm wall

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 PARTS LIST

ITEM QTY USED FOR

Front go kart wheels and 2 Wheels

tires
Go kart wheel hubs to 2 Wheel hubs
suit axle size choice
Go kart rear axle. In 1 at 1050mm long Axle
ether 25mm (1”), 1 ¼” or
40mm
Go kart rear disc brake 1 at Ø190mm Brakes
and caliper
Disc brake hub to suit 1 Brakes
your axle size choice
Sprocket and hub to suit 1 Gearing
your axle choice
Pillow block bearings to 2 Bearings
suit axle size you choose
6.5hp OHV four stroke 1 Engine
Go kart engine
Brake leaver and cable 1 Brakes
to suit handle bars used
Throttle and cable to suit 1 Throttle
handle bars used
Clutch and sprocket to fit 1 Gearing
engine
#35 chain 1 Chain
M10 x 40 bolt and Nyloc 4 Fasten engine to frame
nut
M16 x 60 (40mm, 1 ¼” 4 To fasten bearings to frame
axle) or M12 x 60 (1” or
25mm axle)
Bolt and nuts for These normally come Fastening parts together
fastening disc brakes, with parts when you buy
brake caliper and them
sprockets.
M8 x 20 bolt and nut 2 Fastening chain guard to
frame

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 PARTS LIST CONTINUED

ITEM QTY USED FOR

20” trike front wheel 1 Front wheel

Trike forks 1 Steering
Headset bearings to suit 1 set Steering
Handlebar stem 1 Steering
Handlebars 1 Steering
Brakes to suit forks 1set Brakes
Seat 1 Seat

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DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.
DRIFT TRIKE BUILD PLANS
LA TROBE VALLEY
VICTORIA AUSTRALIA
www.drifttrikebuildplans.com N.T.S.